Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
History The Last Green Lantern Before he acquired a Green Lantern ring, Kyle Rayner was a struggling-but-gifted freelance graphic artist. He lived and worked in Los Angeles initially. After Hal Jordan, grief-stricken over the destruction of his home town of Coast City, went on a mad rampage, killing the entire Green Lantern Corps, including most of the Guardians of the Universe, who oversee the Corps, Rayner was found by Ganthet, the last surviving Guardian, and given the last GL power ring, the powerful weapon wielded by each Green Lantern that allows them to conjure any form of matter or energy solely with their willpower. Ganthet's reasons for choosing Kyle to bear the ring have never been made completely apparent, aside from Rayner having been in the right place at the right time.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#50 Kyle, unsure of what to think about having this new power, went to his ex-girlfriend's apartment, Alexandra DeWitt, showing her that he know was a Green Lantern. She decided to help him, and after his first adventure where everyone thought he was Hal Jordan, she recommended he redesign his costume to distinguish himself.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#51 The new look did not stop Mongul from trying to tear him apart during his first week as GL, however, when Mongul came looking for revenge against Green Lantern for his defeat in engine city (see Reign of the Superman). Mongul decided any Green Lantern would do. With some help from Superman, one of his heroes, Kyle defeated Mongul. It took the alien warlord by surprise that Kyle's ring could work against his yellow skin. Superman was shocked when Kyle knew virtually nothing about Hal Jordan or the Green Lantern Corp.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#52-53 Kyle and Alex got back together, and she helped Kyle train for his new role as a superhero. Tragically, she was brutally murdered by the supervillain Major Force, who had been sent to learn the truth about the new Green Lantern, after some operatives recovered the final battery. Force made the mistake of showing the battery to Kyle during the fight, allowing GL to recharge his ring at a crucial moment. Kyle stopped just short of killing Major Force when the authorities arrived. Kyle was then approached by Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern, who told him a little about the history of the Corp. He also told him about Hal Jordan's madness and warned that they would all have to confront Hal soon.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#54-55 That day would come sooner than later, when Hal Jordan (now the villain Parallax) joined with Extant and used his awesome powers to try and reshape the universe itself. After a massive battle that nearly destroyed all of space and time, Hal was defeated by a coalition of heroes. In the battle, he disappeared with Kyle.Zero Hour #5-0 (see Zero Hour for more details). Kyle and Hal ended up on Oa, where Parallax attempted to absorb even more energy from the planet itself. Kyle was forced to detonate the planet to stop Hal's madness.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#0 Lost in space, Kyle met up with a former Green Lantern who stole his ring from him. However, she surrendered it back when she learned it would not work for her Kyle soon made his way back home.Green Lantern (Vol.3) #56 He decides to take up residence in New York City. Back on Earth, Kyle briefly joined up with another former Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, for a second shot at Major Force. This time, Kyle actively chose not to kill the villain, but Guy had no such hesitation (although Major Force turned up alive and well later).Green Lantern (Vol.3)#60 Parallax would soon return to Earth, demanding the last power ring, but Kyle soon proved that he was more than worthy to bear the name Green Lantern.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#63-64 During a battle against Sonar, Kyle would meet Flash (Wally West). Wally, having grown up with Hal and his uncle Barry Allen as Green Lantern and Flash, did not think very highly of the new GL at first. Their bickering almost allowed Sonar to overcome them. They managed to overcame their differences, however, and would go on to become good friends.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#66-67 He also meets Superboy while investigating the ruins of the Silicon Dragon base beneath the Pacific. GL and Superboy encounter Black Manta, in his new monstrous form. Kyle admits to being a bit on edge when Superboy explains he brought Sam Makoa along, someone without powers, as this prompted bad memories of Alex. All three are able to escape the lair (rescuing some kidnapped victims along the way) and Kyle relaxes with SB at The Compound before heading off.Superboy (Vol.4) #20 Kyle soon began a relationship with Donna Troy. Donna, at the time, was working with the Darkstars under former Green Lantern John Stewart. She briefly breaks up with him, as she was still in the aftermath of her divorce at the time, and heads off with John Stewart into space.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#70 After Underworld Unleashed, Kyle began to question his abilities and what it truly meant to be a superhero. This lead him to seek out other heroes for advice, including Batman, Captain Marvel, and Wonder Woman. Kyle learned a lot from them, and rededicated himself to his new role.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#71-73 Kyle barely was able to rest after this quest when Donna Troy returned to Earth asked him to come with her to Rann where John Stewart and what was left of the Darkstars were rallied, preparing for an invasion by Grayven, the son of Darkseid. GL managed to hold the line, defeating Grayven in single combat, although John Stewart was gravely injured in the battle (and left paralyzed from it). He takes Donna and Stewart back to Earth. Donna and Kyle decide to get back together.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#74-75 Once returned to Earth, GL met the new Green Arrow (Connor Hawke) and the two easily became friends (as they were both in the same situation, two young men recently thrust into the life of a superhero and trying to fill the shoes of someone with a long, proud history).Green Lantern (Vol.3)#77-78, Green Arrow (Vol.1)#110-111 Soon the Final Night happened. Earth's greatest heroes were unable to stop the Sun-Eater from enveloping the Sun. In desperation, Kyle sought out Parallax and found him at the Source Wall. GL pleaded with Hal to return and save the Earth. Parallax did come back, and after seeing the straits Earth was in, decided to try and redeem himself. Hal was successful at destroying the Sun Eater and restoring the Earth to the way it was--but the cost was his own life.Final Night: Parralax #1, Final Night #4 A memorial was held at Coast City for the former hero.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#81 Shortly after the Final Night, GL became one of the charter members of the new Justice League, after the "magnificent seven" save earth from a renegade band of White Martians. The new Justice League establishes their new base, the Watchtower, on the surface of the moon.JLA #1-4. Kyle again had to contend with a former villain of the Green Lanterns coming by for revenge. This time, it was a woman named Fatality, an alien whose home of Xanshi had been destroyed partially because of the action of John Stewart. Fatality did not know who was responsible for the destruction of her world, only knowing that a Green Lantern was, and so she blamed all Green Lanterns and began to hunt them down all over the universe. Even after the Corp was destroyed she continued her vendetta against its former members. Learning the last GL was on Earth, she arrived and battled Kyle across not only New York City but also on an alien planet. Kyle managed to defeat her--but in the process she learned that John Stewart was the one she was seeking the most.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#83-85 Back at his apartment, Kyle found a green skinned woman in his shower--it was Jade, who asked if she could crash at his place for a while. Kyle agreed--much to the chagrin of his still girlfriend Donna Troy (as well as Jade's brother Obsidian).Green Lantern (Vol.3)#86 Kyle took Donna to meet his mother in L.A., having fallen very much in love with her, but when Donna's ex-husband and son were killed in a car accident she broke up with Kyle, explaining that she just needed some time apart to sort things through. Kyle took the breakup very hard.Green Lantern(Vol.3)#88-92 Kyle decides to head for Hawaii, where he meets up with Superboy to engage a deadly being masquerading as a Hawaiian goddess, Pele, and using Silver Sword as her lackey. After Silver Sword turns on his mistress, Kyle and SB are able to defeat Pele. Superboy, having recently been dumped by his girlfriend, Tana Moon, is in a similar spot as Kyle, but far more depressed over the situation.Green Lantern (Vol.3) #97, Superboy (Vol.4) #47 Just as Kyle was getting settled into his role, Hal Jordan would return--although this time, it wasn't Parallax, but rather Hal Jordan from approximately ten years before, plucked out of his own time and brought to the present. The Justice League was happy to have the old Hal back, causing some resentment in Kyle as he felt he was being replaced. The an "old version" of Parallax would show up, traveling through time from before the events of Zero Hour, and after a battle between the two Hals, both of them were returned to their proper times. Before he left, however, Hal gave a copy of his power ring to Kyle, since his had the ability to duplicate itself and Kyle's did not. At this time, Kyle and Jade also became romantically involved.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#100-106 With Hal's ring, Kyle decided the time had come to try rebuilding the Green Lantern Corp. After Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart all turned down the offer for a new GL ring, Kyle gave one to Jade (who had recently lost her powers) and left her in charge while he decided to go into space and find some new recruits.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#107 Jade assumed the Green Lantern name and classic costume during her tour. Fatality soon returned to Earth, however, continuing her vendetta against the Green Lanterns. Kyle returned to Earth during the battle, and once again the fight started on Earth and ended on a distant world, but with some help from John Stewart Fatality was defeated once again.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#108-112 Kyle's efforts in space to restart the Corp were not successful.Green Lantern: The New Corp #1 Kyle would get some more heartache when he finally bumped into Donna Troy again, this time as events in Days of Judgment were beginning. Donna explained that her existence then was possible soley because of Wally West's memories of her, causing her to doubt herself and her own feelings and explaining that they could probably never be together again. Jade, angry over feeling like she was nothing more than Kyle's silver medal, dumped him. All this while Kyle had to literally go to Hell and back as part of Day of Judgment--and in the aftermath, Hal Jordan would emerge as the new Spectre.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#118-119, Day of Judgment #1-5 Shortly after the breakup, Kyle came under the influence of the Controllers, an alien race who had created Effigy, who attempted to take control of Green Lantern by creating a myriad of different hallucinations. Through sheer force of will, Kyle was able to defeat them and return home.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#120-124 Kyle finally got a steady job doing a bi-weekly comic strip for a magazine called Feast. The job came with an assistant, a sixteen year old boy named Terry Berg. Kyle barely finished the first assignment when he was attacked at his home by a rogue group of Manhunters.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#129 This particular batch of Manhunters had become self aware and formed a collective consciousness (a la the Borg) and came after Kyle for his power ring. They intended to "assimilate" Kyle and have him use his ring as a power source in their quest to further evolve. They nearly succeeded, but Kyle managed to free himself and destroy them.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#130-131 Kyle's new career began to take off, but even as it did so Fatality returned again--this time equipped with a yellow power ring. After a fierce battle with Kyle, she went after John Stewart and Merayn. Kyle managed to stop her, and when she tried to surrender her ring it exploded, taking her arm with it. The Qwardians who had given her the ring decided to give it to Alex Nero instead. Kyle finally brought Fatality to justice.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#132 Fortunately, in the aftermath of the fight, Kyle and Jade managed to have a heart to heart, and over the next few weeks they got back together. Nero then showed up in New York City with his ring. Utterly insane, he created legions of yellow "demons" that plagued the city (although they were more of a disruption than a threat) and Kyle had to call in the Justice League for help. A massive battle ensued across Manhatten. In the end, haunted by the ghosts of his past, Nero apparently self destructed. Green Lantern was hailed as the hero of the hour by the mayor of New York.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#133-136 On top of the world, Kyle proposed to Jade (with a GL power ring no less). Worried that he was rushing into things, she turned him down, wanting to take time to work on their relationship. Terry was upset about the news, leading Kyle for finally figure out that his assistant was gay and harboring a crush on him. Realizing how troubled the kid was with his own feelings, Kyle had a long talk with him and they became close friends.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#137 Jade may have turned down the ring as an engagement one, but she did accept it to become a hero again. She also went with Kyle when he was requested for services as a goodwill ambassador to an alien planet. Things went bad while he was there, however, and a mission of peace quickly turned into a firefight.Green Lantern (Vol.3)#138-139 Oblivion During the 5 Week Event "Circle of Fire," it was discovered that a cosmic entity named Oblivion was the embodiment of Kyle's fear, unknowingly created when he first received the ring. It wasn't until later did Oblivion come to "merge" with Kyle. The Justice League tried to stop Oblivion, but during the battle, Kyle was sent back to Earth to get reinforcements. When he reached Earth, Kyle recruited Power Girl, The Atom, Firestorm, Adam Strange, and the Circle of Fire — ostensibly a group of Green Lanterns from alternate realities and different time periods. In reality, Kyle created all of these Green Lanterns. The Circle of Fire consisted of Kyle's late girlfriend Alex, a pair of juvenile siblings, a descendant of Wally West and Kyle Rayner who possessed both the Flash and Green Lantern's powers but could only use one of those powers a day, a reprogrammed Manhunter robot, and a Green Lantern from the Middle Ages. This group was split up to handle different crises caused by Oblivion, or in some cases to search for a way to defeat him. Eventually they all realized that Kyle had created the Circle of Fire because he needed help. When they realized this, they decided that the created Green Lanterns should return to Kyle's mind. Doing so made Kyle unlock more power from the ring that he hadn't used before. In a confrontation with Kyle, Oblivion revealed that he was a distillation of Kyle's doubts and darker impulses, made manifest through the power of the ring. After facing up to this, Kyle was able to defeat Oblivion and restore the Justice League. Ion For a brief period Kyle achieved godhood as Ion, when he absorbed the leftover energy in the sun after Hal Jordan sacrificed his life during the Final Night event, energy which had merged and grown with energies released after Oblivion's defeat. With his new powers Kyle could bend time, space, and reality. Kyle could even be in many places at once. Kyle's trans-godlike powers had drawbacks however: Ion was one with everything, but Kyle Rayner could no longer sleep or separate himself from the overwhelming responsibilities. Kyle was now in the exact same position that Hal Jordan had been in when he had become Parallax. Rather than sacrifice his humanity, Kyle abandoned omnipotence, bleeding off the vast power, recharging the Central Power Battery on the planet Oa (the headquarters of the Guardians), and helping to create a new group of Guardians in the process. Before he purged all of the power though, he modified his ring. Once again limited only by his willpower and imagination, Rayner's ring can still affect yellow, does not have a set time limit on its power, and is keyed directly to him. Kyle modified the ring so that it would always return to him, and so that it would always have a lifeline of power available (although the ring still required charging to get up to full power).Green Lantern (Vol.3)#145-150 After the brutal beating of his young assistant and friend Terry Berg, Kyle went on a lengthy self-imposed exile into space. Before leaving, he placed John Stewart, recently revived from his paraplegia and given a new power ring, into his spot in the JLA. Upon returning to Earth, he discovered that Jade had begun seeing someone new, and was doing so in his own apartment. He left New York and spent some time trying once again to find his place on Earth, and ended up staying with his mother for a brief time. Green Lantern: Rebirth After being tricked into believing his mother had been murdered by Major Force, Kyle fought with the villain. Knowing Major Force was essentially immortal, Kyle decapitated him and sent his head off into outer space. Feeling that he was a danger to those he cared for, Rayner once again left for the far reaches of space. Soon after, the Guardians of the Universe sent Kyle on a special mission to retrieve the corpse of Hal Jordan and he developed insight into the true nature of the Parallax entity. Following which, he ceased to operate solely on Earth. He was given his first official Green Lantern Corps assignment from Kilowog, and met with the Guardians, along with Guy Gardner, about his role in the Corps. There, he was given special status amongst the Guardians, who consider him the "Torch-Bearer," the Green Lantern who carried the legacy through the Corps' darkest period. Infinite Crisis: Return of Ion Jade died during a mission in the Rann-Thanagar War. Her power (the inherited starheart-come-green-lantern power) was transferred to Kyle Rayner, vastly increasing his power, and instigated Kyle's second metamorphosis into Ion. One year after Jade's death, Green Lantern Torquemada and his rookie partner, Garmin Vid, are investigating Sector 3521 and discover Kyle amidst the wreckage of an evacuation fleet from the Quinilon System. An incoherent Kyle blames himself for the fleet's destruction, but repeatedly admits that he didn't mean for it to happen. The two fellow Lanterns attempt to aid Kyle and bring him back to Oa but Kyle violently lashes out, nearly killing Garmin Vid before fleeing the scene. Torquemada returns to Oa with his wounded ally and informs Kilowog that "something is terribly wrong". Meanwhile, Kyle awakens on Earth in Kaaterskill's Notch, a secluded village refuge for artists. Kyle has no memory of the incident with Torquemada or Vid, nor does he remember the destruction of the evacuation fleet. While staying at Kaaterskill's Notch, Kyle is greeted by his landlord, an old man named Schuyler, and attempts to introduce himself to the newest tenant, a reclusive mute girl name Marissa Rochelle. Later, Kyle is attacked by a Thanagarian bounty hunter named Tarra Karn and is forced to defend himself. Kyle eventually forces her to reveal why she has chosen him as her prey and Kyle learns of the evacuation fleet's destruction and his apparent role in it. On Oa, the Guardians have forbidden Kilowog and the other Lanterns from aiding Kyle, apparently wanting him to fight whatever it is that has possessed him. Indeed, it seems that something or someone is manipulating Kyle, causing memory lapses, bouts of violent anger and a lack of control over his actions and powers. After visiting the wreckage of the evacuation fleet, Kyle loses control again and ends up on a world called Alytt where he impacts with a gladiator arena, unintentionally rescuing a warrior woman from a ferocious alien opponent via collateral damage. There, he freaks out again, nearly breaking her arm before flying off again and then finding himself in orbit over Mogo, the sentient Green Lantern planet. Confronted by his own delusions and inner demons, in the form of his former girlfriends Alex, Donna, and Jade giving aid and suggestions, and Major Force as the embodiment of all his fears, Kyle ultimately realized the meaning of his "new life". He acknowledges, thanks to "Jade," that the Ion entity is a living conduit able to channel and harness both the Starheart and the Central Power Battery green energy. In space, Ariana, the mysterious alien girl, still angered for the massive devastation Rayner laid on her planet is encountered by Hal Jordan, who was sent to check on Kyle by Kilowog. The guardians forbid anyone to leave Oa to help, but did not say anything about off-worlders going after him. It helps that Hal Jordan has gone through changes in his past, and would be the best to help Upon finding Ion decimating yet another world, Hal chooses to step in and speak with Kyle. The conversation is short lived and Ion lashes out at Hal Jordan. The battle continues on until Hal defeats Kyle. However, upon requesting his ring to scan for any mental abnormalities that might explain Kyles erratic behaviour, the ring instead reveals the rampaging Ion to in fact be Nero. Meanwhile, on Mogo, Kyle exits a green cocoon and heads out into space. The Guardians forbid the Green Lanterns to leave Oa to help Kyle but do not mention those off-world. Kilowog contacts Hal Jordan to check on Kyle. Jordan finds Ion destroying a planet and after scanning him with his ring, he discovers that the rampaging Ion is in fact Alexander Nero. Kyle catches up with Jordan, and Nero claims that his connection with Kyle and new powers are the result of a third party's interference. With Nero in tow, Kyle confronts the Guardians and asks what they knew about his becoming Ion, why Nero was wreaking havoc as Ion, and why they ordered the Green Lantern Corps to not assist him. The Guardians claim they ordered the other Green Lanterns not to help because he needed to pass one final test for them to be sure he can handle his power. They explain that they had planned for Kyle to hold an honored position among Green Lanterns, but that he now possesses the power to revive the Green Lantern Corps, should it ever be destroyed again. The Guardians tell Kyle that he will no longer be required to patrol, but will be called in during situations that the Corps cannot handle by themselves. The Guardians admit that they only know that some unforeseen enemy has set Nero on a path of destruction to Oa. Nero unleashes a massive amount of energy, but Kyle dissipates the energy into what is presumed to be a "pocket universe". Back on Earth, Kyle is met by a mysterious Monitor, who tells him that he is supposed to be dead. Kyle discovers that other enemies, like his old nemesis Effigy, are being put on his tracks. The captured Effigy could only say that Kyle's location' was given to him in a subliminal way, and, as the Guardians discover while interrogating Nero, the knowledge of the enemy himself was expunged by his minions' mind. Kyle returns to the planet scorched by Nero while using his name, and clears his reputation. Later Guy Gardner meets him to tell "bad news" about his mother who's in a hospital dying with no known medical cause. After comforting her, Kyle is once again contacted by a Guardian who tells him he must return to Oa at once. Before leaving Earth, he is assaulted by two superpowered individuals, a male and female who claim to be the Atom and the Flash respectively (both are characters from DC's Tangent Comics event). After a brief fight, "Atom" gains the upper hand and knocks Kyle out. They then place the Lantern previously seen at the end of Infinite Crisis on his chest. After a brief flash, the Tangent Universe's Green Lantern appears, holding the Lantern. Kyle awakens in "the Bleed," encountering the two children that found the Tangent Comics' lantern, as well as aiding Captain Atom, who is still sporting the Monarch armor, in a battle against Daemonites. Kyle enlists Captain Atom's help in escaping the Bleed, re-absorbs the Tangent Comics' superheroes back into the lantern, and returns to the Guardians of the Universe, who send him on a mission to sector 3888. At a satellite base inside of an asteroid in sector 3888, Kyle discovers a number of dead Qwardian Weaponers, as well as Donna Troy. Able to find Grayven, and battle him, but unable to make him confess anything on the mysterious conspiration, he's again faced by one of the Monitors, and once again spared, his future to be reconsidered again. Returned home, he tries to reanimate his mother's dead corpse using his Ion powers, but after a tearful farewell she refuses, asking Kyle to let her pass. He agrees, and he is left again in mourning in his new home, unable to sort out both his life, both the mysteries surrounding his recent misfortunes and encounters, seemingly tied together. Sinestro Corps Kyle discovered a yellow power ring flying through space. He brought it to Oa to show to the Guardians, but before he was able to see them, the ring transported him to the Anti-Matter Universe world of Qward. Here, he found Sinestro speaking before throngs of members of the newly-formed Sinestro Corps. Overpowered by their numbers, Kyle was captured. Sinestro ripped the Ion entity from his his chest and announced the true reason for his mother's death - the virus and Sinestro Corps member Despotellis. In that moment of fear, Sinestro unleashed the Parallax entity on Kyle, transforming him into a new Parallax and herald of the Anti-Monitor.Green Lantern Sinestro Corps Special #1 Power and Abilities Kyle Rayner has extreme willpower which lead to his recruitment into the Green Lantern Corps. Paraphernalia *Green Lantern Power Ring *Green Lantern Power Battery References